Emergency Preparedness

The Emergency Preparedness department plans for and responds to various forms of disasters that affect the community’s health. The emergency may be a natural disaster (e.g. flood), a man-made accident (e.g. train wreck involving a chemical spill), a disease epidemic or pandemic, or an intentional act of terrorism involving chemical, biological, or radiological devices.

Emergency Preparedness staff work closely with local, state and federal partners such as the CDC, FEMA, GEMA, State Department of Public Health, local EMAs, fire, EMS, police, hospitals, and volunteer groups such as the Medical Reserve Corps to assess community vulnerabilities and to respond accordingly.